FORGERY CASE FAILS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5307, 1 August 1928, Page 2

FORGERY CASE FAILS.

CHEQUE CASHED AT PAEROA.

INDENT AGENT ACQUITTED.

The, trial of Robert Stewart Wylie, aged 39, indent agent, on a charge of' forging a cheque for £5 15s 6d a,t Paeroa last October, took place in the Auckland 1 Supreme Count yesterday, before Mr Justice Reed.

Frederick Charles Blyth, bookseller, of Paeroa, said that accused purchased a small quantity of cigarettes and tobacco from him last October. Accused gave him a, cheque for £5 15s 61, and when witness said? he did not know the man whose signature appeared on the cheque; as; “A. Butler,” accused assured him he would be responsible for the cheque. He thereupon cashed the cheque, deducting the cost of the goods and giving the re-, ■maindcr as change.

Questioned by Mr. Singer, for the defence, witness said the cheque was first met and was not dishonoured by the bank until three months after it was paid in. Accused was in and out of his shop on several occasions for about, three weeks after the cheque was paid in. He knew accused was in the? habit of receiving cheques from hig customers in the course of his business, and he had several for him on different occasions. All t 'cse had been met by the bank. Other evidence, given by witnesses was similar, to that pla.ceid before the Court at Paeroa,

“The case is exceedingly weak,” remarked the Judge when Mr Singer asked whether, he should address the jury. “It certainly appears as though accused’s actions .were- those of an, innocent man. The unfortunate part of it 'is that, the bank did not discover the forgery earlier. Had the forgery been discovered at once, full inquiries could have been made, and then the matter could have been mote satisfactorily dea.lt with. As far ar accused is; concerned, he must have known that if the cheque were forged inquiries would have been made in a week or, ten days. - “I suggest, it is far too dangerousfor yofi to find accused guilty on this charge,” His Honour said to the jury. “The only evidence againrt him is that of Speckling, and, even so, all he has to go on* is the signature on the cheque, for. accused admits he filled in the body of the cheque.” The jury returned a verdict of not guilty without leaving the Courtroom.